Jeff Schwartz of Excel Sports wants the Kings to know he thinks Marvin Bagley III deserves better.
Just when it seemed like the Sacramento Kings were going to start the season with a happy and healthy locker room, the Marvin Bagley III saga took another ugly turn.
On the eve of their opening night matchup with the Portland Trail Blazers, Bagley’s agent, Jeff Schwartz of Excel Sports, released a statement revealing his client was told he won’t be part of Luke Walton’s rotation on opening night, or “in the future” (via @excelsm):
Sacramento has informed Marvin Bagley he is not in the opening night rotation, which is completely baffling. It’s clear they have no plans for him in the future, and yet, passed on potential deals at least year’s deadline and this summer based one “value.” Instead, they chose to bring him back but not play him, a move completely contradictory to their “value” argument. This is a case study in mismanagement by the Kings organization.
Suffice to say, Schwartz isn’t happy and it’s safe to assume his feelings echo Bagley’s. What does that mean for Bagley and the Kings going forward? An ugly divorce, most likely.
It’s one thing for Walton to not start Bagley, which could affect Bagley’s qualifying offer; it’s another thing for Bagley to not be in the rotation at all. Add that to the fact that Bagley not-so-subtly hinted that he wanted out this past summer, in addition to the past comments from his dad, and it’s unlikely Bagley suits up for the Kings again this season.
This story will be updated.